Heaven of Sinners
by RealmOfEmptiness
Summary: Synapse. A paradise hidden in the sky. Yet even this 'perfect' place once knew perdition. This is the story of the man who destroyed Heaven and his search for redemption. A Sora no Otoshimono/Casshern Sins crossover.
1. The Awakening

**Disclaimer: Sora no Otoshimono and Casshern Sins are respectively owned by Suu Minazuki and Yasuko Kobayashi in collaboration with Madhouse, not by me. This is being done purely for fun, constructive criticism is welcome and flames will be ignored.**

**A special recognition and thanks go to The Infamous Man and Lucas Bane, betareaders and co-founders of this fanfic.**

* * *

Heaven of Sinners

Prologue - The Awakening

_"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."_

_Genesis 1:1_

Synapse. This is the name of the "Heaven" since times immemorial hidden in the sky of the planet Earth. Composed of a multitude of massive, floating islands and blessed with amazing technology centuries beyond anything possessed by the humans on the surface, it is the house of a race of beings similar in appearance to humans but gifted with wings capable of making them fly like birds: the Angels.

In this utopian place no one needs to work to sustain themselves and their family and, thanks to the medical advancements, aging and illness are completely unknown. With nothing else to do nowadays the Angels spend all their time "dreaming" inside particular machines that created human-shaped bodies on Earth and, like an avatar, allowed them to live lives as human beings.

With all the denizens asleep, the duty to maintain Synapse fell onto the Angeloids: androids modeled after the Angels. They worked as both caretakers and living weapons for the Synapse. They select their master through a process called Imprinting by means of a chain wrapped around the master's hand connected to a collar around the Angeloid's neck, symbolizing the master-servant relationship. One shinning example is Ikaros, the "Uranus Queen", First Generation Strategic Battle-Class: Type-Alpha Angeloid, the masterpiece of the genius researcher Daidalos. This mighty weapon in the form of a beautiful girl once, by order of Synapse, single-handedly destroyed the Tower of Babel, a massive tower built by the Downers (how Synapse calls the humans) along with the city around it and all its inhabitants. The mere idea that the Downers thought themselves worthy and arrogant enough to try to reach Heaven prompted the Council of Synapse to send Ikaros to wipe them out.

However this is the past. The modern days are troubled times. At the top of the central and larger island of Synapse, sitting on the throne inside his temple, Reikoku, the Sky Master and absolute leader of Synapse, was seething with rage and uneasiness. Dressed with an ancient Greek toga and sporting immaculate long blonde hair which hid his eyes in shadow. He was the only Angels always awake: on him lies the duty to maintain the status-quo of Synapse and the right to do as his please with all the floating world's possessions, including Angeloids.

It all began when Daidalos turned traitor and sent Ikaros with her memories and abilities sealed on Earth before going in hiding somewhere on Synapse. On the surface the Angeloid proceeded to bond with a human teenager named Tomoki Sakurai, who then utilized Ikaros's abilities to do, of all things, incredibly stupid and perverted deeds, like freezing time and walking around naked and making female panties fly like birds.

So upon discovering the exact location of the missing Ikaros the Sky Master ordered another Angeloid, First Generation Electronic Warfare-Class: Type-Beta Nymph, to retrieve her, but under the pressure Alpha awoke once again as the "Uranus Queen" and pushed Nymph back to Synapse. Further attempts to either recover or destroy Ikaros, including using Beta herself as a bomb, ended in failure and the subsequent defect of Nymph after the humans Tomoki and his friends broke the Angeloid's imprinting.

To add insult to injury one of the Downers called Eishirou Sugata, an obsessed weirdo with a genius intellect, with the help of Beta began to travel to Synapse through the "Dream Dive Game", a system to enter another dreams, after it was discovered Sakurai's dreams are mysteriously connected with Synapse. As of today no matter how much the Harpies sisters, First Generation Interceptor Type, Ambush Class: Type-Gamma, Reikoku's personal guards, struggled, they have yet to succeeded in capturing the intruder.

Reikoku's next move was to send the last original Angeloid, First Generation Close Combat-Class: Type-Delta Astraea to assassinate Sakurai Tomoki. Unfortunately in order to give her the edge in combat her creator Daidalos neglected the development of her processing power, thus making her incredibly clumsy and prone to fail due to simple mistakes.

Running out of patience the Sky Master decided to jumpstart a new project: the Second Generation Angeloids, theoretically surpassing the First Generation by a large margin. While a skilled researched himself the Master of Synapse was still inferior to Daidalos's prowess, but assured himself the millennia's technological advancements since the creation of the First would give him all the advantages he needed.

The first prototype, Evolution-Class: Type-Epsilon Chaos, while inexperienced and a little unstable was capable of defeating all the enemy Angeloids, even Astraea who in the middle of combat declared she has fallen in love with Sakurai and even broke her Chain of Command with her own hands. Only Ikaros' near-suicide plan to dive with Chaos into the ocean transformed a crushing defeat into a victory: Angeloids can't swim because their wings absorbed water, so if one fall into the sea it will go down to the bottom and being unable to leave. Reikoku was of course disappointed, but consoled himself with the assurance it was only a matter of time before Chaos reached a coastline and resumed her mission.

So to amuse himself in the meantime he watched as Tomoki befriended Hiyori Kazane ,a girl who in reality was an Angel dreaming of being a human. When a car incident destroyed her avatar, removing all memories of her existence as a Downer (except the Angeloids and Tomoki), he decided to grant her plea to continue her dream. But he did so in his own way: he turned her into an Angeloid, Second Generation Weather Control-Class: Type-Zeta, and send her to destroy Ikaros and the other Angeloids, assured that they would not dare to attack a friend. He also gave her more sophisticated hacking abilities than Nymph to be sure they could not snap the mind control.

But Nymph in a moment of desperation activated "Pandora": also know as the "Self-Evolution Program", it allows oneself to grow in power through time and the absorption of other things. With it Beta's hacking abilities evolved and gave rise to a new skill dubbed "Aphrodite" capable of breaking Hiyori's enslavement.

While an unexpected development the Sky Master was still confident Chaos would still win once she returned, since she too was equipped with the program "Pandora".

That's why his mouth dropped in shock when, after a battle with Chaos's new adult form, he witnessed another betrayal, with Chaos deciding she 'liked' Tomoki and the Downer using a padlock-shaped device to shut off all forms of communications and control between him and the Angeloid.

Fooled. Again. For the umpteenth time a mere perverted, middle-scholar, _human_ managed to play him for a fool. Hardly a foe worthy of being called such. And yet now the stupid Downer could boast the alliance of no less than five of the most powerful Angeloids. Well, in truth they were six if you also count the one First Generation Medical Specialist Angeloid Oregano, which once followed the Downer Sugata to Earth in one of his expeditions. But her battle strength was nonexistent and apart for her medical skill it was no threat. Oh, and let's not forget about the assistance of Daidalos in person!

"Why..." He growled with gritted teeth, staring at the giant holographic screen displaying a replay of Chaos's second battle. "Why I can't win against him!"

His hand slowly twitched into a claw-like pose, his fingernails grating against the marble of his armrest and leaving noticeable traits on the otherwise pristine surface.

"Two years. For _two entire years_ this farce has gone on! I, the Master of Synapse, outclassed by an insignificant Downer not even into his adulthood yet. My most powerful Angeloids now against me! That Sugata treating Synapse as his _study camp_! And Daidalos...even if I destroy her hideout now that I saw her teleporting, who knows how many more spare hiding places she set beforehand?"

His other hand reached up and typed a command on an intangible keyboard and the video on the screen shifted to a picture of a pink haired girl with bright emerald eyes, two small pods on her ears and a collar with a short chain around her neck.

"Uranus Queen. This is all your fault. The other trash have all weakness I can exploit, but you...you are the only one with too much power. The "Variable Wing Core" and long-ranged, target-searching attacks...what a dreadful combination. And that Tomoki with his absurd ability to turn enemies into allies. How in Synapse he is doing it? And why I can't doing the same?"

He kept contemplating while gazing at the image of the most powerful weapon of Synapse. _'I need something. Something capable of defeating the Uranus Queen and resisting the Downer's persuasions. Another Second Generation, this time more than one? The result will probably be the same. A new anti-air defense to target them directly from Synapse? Destroy them all in one shot is not assured and I run the risk of activating the "Pandora" inside the Uranus Queen, and that will be beyond bad. What? What I know that can stand Type-Alpha? A weapon so great it has no equal...'_

_**Fire. Fire everywhere. Buildings crumbling. The once blue sky covered with smoke and ash. Cries of pain and pleas for salvation filled the air. The bodies of countless Angels littered the landscape, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Blood. Blood everywhere.**_

Reikoku put a hand over his mouth and forced back the retches threatening to overcome his body. Blood drained from his face while cold sweat began to appear on his skin.

_**A male Angel screaming in pain and fear while his innards are mercilessly ripped out of his belly, the hideous and brutal act of butchery continuing until his screams stopped. Only for a second Angel to suffer the same fate after not even one second has passed. This time his wings were sundered first.**_

_**And amidst the chaos and devastation a pair of soulless orbs of glowing white light stared at him, looking directly at the depths of his soul. Judging.**_

_**And finding him unworthy of living.**_

"What the _Hell _I am thinking?!" He growled under his breath, forcing his respiratory system to slow down to a normal pace. "If I do that, forget about the Uranus Queen: the entire Synapse will be reduced to a smoking wrench before the Earth suffered the same fate!"

He paused, as if considering carefully what he did just said. Then in a sudden change of mood he laughed, a cruel sound with an hint of bitterness. "Yeah right, as if I even give a damn about the Downers! And since when do I care for this boring place I call 'home'? In the best case that damn Tomoki will cease to be a problem. In the worst Synapse will be plunged into unprecedented disorder."

He cruelly sneered. "A win-win situation. Time to remind all the worthless wenchs what fear is really like. Harpies!" He called, and with a flutter of wings his most trusted subordinates appeared before him. The two Interceptor units were twins, with the only difference being the hair's colour: the older sister had light brown hair while the younger one had green hair.

They both bowed and asked in unison. "Yes, Master. What are your orders?"

"Follow me." He replied while rising from his throne. "For my next move against the Downers I first need to recover a certain 'something' from an underground level."

"Yes master." They repeated while faithfully following after their Master. "Excuse me, Master." The younger sister asked, "To what level we need to go?"

"The B-66." He answered simply

"I see, the B-Sixty...six..." They stopped in their track, realization drowning on them. The next moment... "THE SIXTY SIX?!" They both screamed.

Reikoku turned his head and quirked an eyebrow seeing the sisters white as a sheet and trembling.

"F-f-forgive me M-Master, b-but isn't the s-sixty-six t-t-that..." The elder stuttered, before gulping and continuing. "That...infamous place?"

"Yeah! T-t-the...Gehenna?" Pressed on the younger, whispering the last word as if the mere name was enough to invoke terrible divine wrath.

The Sky Master smiled. '_So, after all this time it is feared as much as the beginning.' _"That's right." He replied, enjoying the discomfort of the two.

"WHAAATT!" They shrieked with terror, stepping back and sweating profusely. "Why do you want to go there? That place is cursed, Master, cursed I tell you! Everyone who go near is killed on sight!" Screamed the elder Harpy.

"I-I heard that inside is sealed a monstrous mechanical Angeloid-eating beast of untold ferocity! It is so strong that the Uranus Queen was built with the precise purpose of blowing it up with all of Synapse if it even broke free!" Said the younger.

"The rumors said that inside its database rest a super lethal cybernetic virus capable of infecting Angels and Angeloids alike: first they lose their sanity and then their bodies putrefy!" Continued the older.

The Sky Master wanted to burst out laughing. What kind of silly stories the Angeloids told each others?

The younger Harpy spoke again, a slight blush on her cheeks. "I also heard it contain a lot of embarrassing photos of Master, like when he was a baby an need to change the diaper."

A loud _Crash! _can be heard following the Skymaster bashing his head, _hard_, on the floor. He rose up and roared. "WHAT!?"

Realizing her mistake she quickly tried to cover her blunder. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Don't worry about what I say Master. I'm stupid so I say some nonsense from time to time." She tapped the side of her head to enforce the impression of airheadness.

The Master briefly contemplated burning down the district where those stories originated from, before deciding such things were unworthy of his efforts. He resumed walking toward the central elevator. "If you want to know there is something sealed there, and it's as dangerous as those silly stories said." He sneered. "One way the people called it in the past is the "Angel of Death". Fitting I say."

The two Harpies shivered at the ominous title before the elder asked. "M-master? What we are going to do?"

He laughed. "Why, we are going to free it!"

For the first time in their long life the Harpies contemplated the unspeakable thought of _disobeying _their master's orders, so great was their fear for the task they were called to perform. In the end loyalty won and they hurried after their liege.

Praying they were going to live long enough to see the sun rising from the horizon the next morning.

* * *

The ride in the elevator was uneventful save for the sisters ever increasing sweating. Even Reikoku was silent, his distant eyes contemplating something only he could see. Then with a soft noise the doors opened and the three found themselves at the beginning of a cold and badly illuminated hallway, the end hidden behind a veil of fathomless shadows. Wordlessly the Sky Master ventured into the darkness, the two Angeloids hot on his trail.

"Ehi, Nee-san." Whispered the younger Harpy to her sister. "If it's as dangerous as the Master said, why are we...?"

"He said it is to fight the Downers." Whispered back the older sister. "So whatever the hell is down here the Master must think it can stand against the Uranus Queen. She is the most powerful of the traitors."

"You're right. Hey, Master…" She replied raising her voice. "Can this "Angel of Death" stand against Alpha?"

He shrugged. "Honestly? I can't imagine something capable of destroying it for good. Not even the firepower of the Uranus Queen."

"But, but then what will we do if you're in danger, Master?" Asked the older.

"Obviously I expect you two to hold it back while I sealed it again. Can't see you last more than five seconds, but it should be plenty of time to do it." He answered nonchalantly.

For the second time in both the day and their life the Harpies seriously considered running away with the metaphorical tail between their legs and search for a better employer.

Eventually after a long walk and several drops in temperature they reached a massive steel door, all black save for a simple white square in the middle. Red writings in the ancient language of Synapse where inscribed all over its surface and the adjacent walls. Looking closer the elder sister saw they were all the same phrase: 'Don't open'.

"_Warning._" A mechanical voice suddenly spoke, startling the sisters. "_You are entering an area classified under the threat level Dogma First White: "FALLEN". Approach is forbidden to all but the members of the High Council of Synapse. Identify yourself. Failure of belonging under the required parameters will result in immediate disintegration. I repeat: identify yourself._"

"My name Reikoku, first Head of the High Council of Synapse, crowned with the title 'Sky Master'!" The Angel declared loudly putting one hand on the white square. At the contact it began to glow. "Identification Code: Y-80065-H-39467-W-22118-H-0001. By the power bestowed upon me I order the release of the seal!"

"_Identification Code Accepted. Scanning...Blood pressure: check...Blood type: check...Heart-rate: check...Age: check...DNA: Check. Welcome Master, have a good day._" The voice intoned before the massive door split into two and began to sliding open, releasing a gust of chilling air.

"Master, do you want one of us to go back and fetch a coat?" The Harpies asked after seeing their Master shivering in such light clothing. Being Angeloids, they were shielded against the changes in temperature, but their Master was not.

"I am fine!" He shouted back without turning. "If I can't endure this much I have no business being here." With those words he stepped inside.

What greeted them was a bare chamber devoid of any decors, stale air typical of interiors closed for years. The only thing inside was a containment pod in the center: it was white, modeled like a coffin with beveled angles. Two triangular protrusions emerged from its side, the two sisters recognizing them as the space for the wings of the occupant. A blue semi-sphere glowed at the top of the construct. Reikoku crouched down and touched the orb, bringing up an holographic display with various data. Reading it he frowned.

"You son of a bitch. I bathed you in liquid nitrogen, left you rotting here for seven thousands years, and yet you're still as good as the day you were born. Fucking monster."

The Harpies eyes widened: never they have heard their Master use this kind of language. Just what was inside the pod to provoke such a reaction?

"Come on, pick it up so we can leave." He commanded. Nodding they each took one end of the coffin and lift. Surprisingly, it wasn't that heavy.

* * *

Half an hour later they were back inside the temple of the Sky Master. Flanked by the two nervous Angeloids with their "Prometheus" rifles draw and ready to fire in case of danger The Master was completing the opening of the pod.

"Vital Signs: ready. Brain waves... increasing. Good, he's waking up. Get ready you two, but don't startle or attack him if he isn't attacking first. There is my life at the stake here." He reminded them.

"Yes, Master" They replied in unison, idly wondering: '_He?_'

A final input on the screen and the orb ceased to glow before the upper part of the coffin vanished into bits of digital compressed matter. Intrigued the Harpies leaned forward to see better and gasped.

Resting supine on the inside was a young man dressed in a white one-piece suit with black lines from head to toe, a blood red and stylized 'C' on his chest and two gun-like devices on his waist. Their eyes widened at the sight of six wings the color of the night sky emerging from his back.

'_An Archangel?!_' They thought. Most Angels have only two wings while some has four. But it said every thousand years an Angel with six wings is born, extraordinary individuals gifted with amazing talents. Not even Angeloids who are constructed are permitted to have more than two wings. But those were all stories: no one has ever seen an Archangel since immemorial time. At least until now.

Their eyes drifted to his head: what greeted them was a handsome face framed with fluffy brown hair. A minute twitching of the facial muscles and the stranger slowly opened his eyelids, revealing deep and soulful blue eyes. He blinked a few times before turning toward a smiling Reikoku with an inquisitive expression.

"Welcome back to the word of the living...

_…__**Casshern**_."


	2. Failed Past

**Disclaimer: Sora no Otoshimono and Casshern Sins are respectively owned by Suu Minazuki and Yasuko Kobayashi in collaboration with Madhouse, not by me. This is being done purely for fun, constructive criticism is welcome and flames will be ignored.**

**A special recognition and thanks goes to The Infamous Man and Lucas Bane, betareaders and co-founders of this fanfic.**

* * *

Heaven of Sinners

Chapter 1 - Failed Past

_Unspecific Location_

The room was dark. Almost all the lights were off, the only three alight dimmed and arranged to brighten the walls on one side, leaving the middle and the backspace coated in shadows. The only thing one could discern was the silhouette of a seated person, more a form painted by the difference in hue of the darkness than by any real color, the head supported by a hand under the chin and its eyes closed as if it was sleeping. At the other hand there was no doubt what was illuminated at the other end of the room.

Clocks. Tens or maybe a hundred clocks fixed to the walls, all different and all coming from many time periods: analogs, digitals, hourglass, sundials, pendulums, projection types, skeleton types, binary types, French rococo bracket clocks, Peter Henlein's "Nuremberg Egg", Su Song's Astronomical Clock Tower, Roskopf's pocket watch and many others, a few made of very advanced technology. And they were all displaying different times with no apparent rhyme or reason. The most striking feature, however, was that no clock, even the pendulum, made a single sound: the entire chamber was enshrouded in absolute silence, and only by straining the hearing to its very limit could one make out the shallow breathing of the hidden figure.

This silence was shattered when a lone clock, hidden among the others, emitted a tinkling '_Tling!_' and began playing a blithe music, a composition many enthusiasts would recognize as one of the many masterpieces of a certain German pianist active in the Nineteenth Century, a genius who would often draw inspiration from childhood's tales about an island in the sky told by a kindly old man.

The Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven.

The eyes of the figure in the shadow shot open at the melody, sapphire blue in color and cold and unforgiving like ice, showing a great amount of surprise before the lips pulled back revealing the same cruel and eager smile a predator would wear after locating its prey.

"So you have finally awakened, Casshern..."

* * *

The being now called Casshern stared at the smiling Reikoku. He opened his mouth as to speak before closing it almost immediately, his features marred by confusion. After a second again he disclosed his lips and said: "C-Casshern?" His voice, while pleasant to the ears, was hesitant. "Is it my name?"

The Sky Master frowned: it was a truly strange question, one that didn't make sense. '_Why should he asking confirmation? It's almost as if...better be sure.' _"That's right, you are Casshern. Don't you remember?" He said wearing a mask of gentleness.

Casshern weakly raised a hand, observing the appendage as if he was watching it for the first time in his life. His eyebrows narrowed like he was in the middle of some kind of exertion. "No. I...don't remember. I don't remember anything: my name, my past...all of them are shrouded in fog." With the raised hand he gently touched his face before turning once more to the Master, his tone full of hope. "But...you know, right? Who I am? Maybe also why I can't remember?"

Reikoku kept up an impassable facade, but inside his head was exulting. '_He doesn't remember! Anything! He completely lost his memories. This is...perfect! I can say whatever I want and he will believe it like the word of God. I just need to be smooth and believable._'

"Of course I know. But this is troublesome: is it an error with the programming?" Taking the brunette hand he helped him getting on his feet. Casshern faltered a bit but quickly found equilibrium. "Why don't you try running a System Scan?" '_A risky move, but it's not like I can avoid mentioning it. Let's just hope it is not reparable.'_

"A System Scan?" At those words Casshern's left pupils grew bigger before strings of numbers and indecipherable glyphs started streaming inside his retina. When he spoke again his tone had changed, from insecure to bold and firm. "Initiating all Systems Scan. Preparing for a complete Hardware Analysis. Battle capacity...confirmed 100% functionality. Emotional control capacity...confirmed 100% functionality. Processing capacity...confirmed 100% functionality. Memory state...corrupted?!" He shouted, shocked. He brought a hand over the left side of his face, disbelief evident on his face. "Recovery data...failure. Personal History Restoration impossible to perform." His hand dropped and he looked at the Master. "How did I do that? I am...not a living being, right?"

"What? You don't know you're an Angeloid?" Before the younger Harpies could understand what she did Reikoku turned and shot her his most vile look, one which a promise of future pain. She gulped and didn't say anything anymore.

"Angeloid?" Casshern repeated. "Is it what I am?"

"Correct." Reikoku again faced Casshern putting up his best smile. "Your memory loss is most unfortunate, but I can easily fix it. My name is Reikoku, the 'Sky Master' and Lord of this land. I am an Angel, the name of the race who inhabits Synapse, the name of the place where you currently are. And you are an Angeloid, a droid built and modeled after the Angels."

A pause.

"Your name is Casshern, Generation Zero First Prototype-Class Angeloid." He raised both arms, flashing a slightly haughty smile. "And I am your Master: the one you were created to serve in any way I seem fit."

"...I see." Commented Casshern, for the first time a look of understanding on his face. "Yes… Synapse...and Angels."

"You remember something?" The Master asked, masking his worry.

"It appears the sub-routines were spared. When I heard those terms the data related to them came back to me." Suddenly he got down on one knee, put the left hand over his heart and bowed his head. "The title of Sky Master is granted to the highest authority of Synapse, Head of the High Council. I ask forgiveness for not having shown before appropriate deference for your rank, Master."

Unseen by all a strange expression passed on Reikoku's face before he resumed his fake amiable smile. "Think nothing of it. It isn't your fault for not remembering. The technicians assured me it was all right. Now, let's continue, Casshern." The six-winged man raised his head. "You were created to be a loyal protector of Synapse and Earth with your might. Some might call you a weapon but you're much, much more: you're a shield destined to protect the peace enjoyed by the Angel's entire race. There is a reason why I decided to activate you now."

A pause.

"But it can wait for now. I'm correct in assuming that, beside basic data, you don't have recollections of Synapse and how it looks?"

"Yes, Master." A dejected look passed on Casshern's face. "They're only simple descriptions, no images or video."

"Then why don't you go for a tour?" A midst everyone's surprise he pointed to the Harpies. "Those are the Harpy sisters, my personal guards. They will be your escorts and will show you how your home looks."

"My home..." Muttered the brunette. "I thank you for your generosity."

"It's nothing. You deserve it." Reikoku then turned and placed both hands on the sisters' shoulders before lowering his head and whispering: "Give him a complete tour of Synapse. Be friendly. **_DON'T_**"-here his voice changed to a hiss-"mention anything about Gehenna. He was already here in the temple when I called you. You haven't been briefed. You know _nothing_. And if he asked about the Downers, call them humans and _don't you dare_ express distaste. Lie, lie for all you're worth but make sure to hammer the fact we're all magnanimous beings and we care for the Downers. Simply do it. And if the matter of the Angeloid traitors comes up, just say it's classified. Do I make myself clear?" They both nodded with wide eyes. "Great!" he exclaimed jovially, patting their shoulders. "Like I said, make sure he enjoys the tour. Now go. Go!"

With a bit of forcefulness he pushed Casshern and the Harpies away. He watched them exit the temple and disappear in the distance toward the island's border.

He stood here in the silence for a bit before turning back and sit again on his throne.

_I ask forgiveness for not having shown before appropriate deference for your rank, Master._

"Idiot. That-" he muttered, his tone a strange mix of longing and bitterness. "-is something that _I_ should be saying."

In the virtual center of his power the Sky Master sat, alone, recalling times long past.

* * *

The silence between them was awkward. The blonde, elder Harpy was no stranger to escorting powerful figures (even if only with the Master she deigned to take her job seriously) but this time the circumstances were...odd, to say the least.

Being careful to not being noticed she stole a quick glance behind her at their new 'cohort' following them, who was busy contemplating in silent curiosity the structures and the edifices surrounding the Sky Master's temple. Mostly consisted of halls and archives for the bureaucratic procedures of Synapse, procedures that nowadays were reduced to 'the Master commands, she and her sister obey', and laboratories to house Angeloid researches. The latter installed only recently following the deserter's crisis.

_He _was the fabled "Angel of Death" imprisoned inside the level sixty-six "Gehenna", the only prison of Synapse? A danger as great as it was vague? Taking into consideration crime was a concept unknown to the Angels as a result of their near-utopias society the existence of such a place had always been uncanny, even as a subject only spoke behind closed doors.

And she was supposed to accept that this good-looking boy was their equivalent of the earthen Boogeyman? If it wasn't for her Master's words and the fact they really found him inside the Gehenna...

_'And besides-' _She pondered, her eyes resting on the three pairs of wings. _'-is he really an Archangel? Even if he is an Angeloid?'_

Angeloids can't have more than two wings: this is a rule which can't be broken no matter what. That and the collars with chains served to mark the droids from the real Angels. Casshern had neither, nothing to distinguish him apart for the brief moment before when his eye displayed his artificial nature and the strange devices connected to his sides. They reminded her of guns but the shape and position were all wrong. If she didn't know better she would swear they suspiciously resembled a pair of...

"Is something wrong?" She was abruptly shaken off her thoughts by the question. Casshern was looking at her with a slight frown. Embarrassingly she realized that, so lost in her musings, she ended up staring at him. "Is there something on my face?"

"A-Ah no! Nothing wrong! I just wanted to be sure you don't end up lost." She waved her hand to emphasized how flimsy the subject was, uncaring of the puzzled look on her sister's face.

Instantly his expression cleared. "Ah. Thank you for your concern." He gave a small smile, and the two Harpies couldn't suppress a slight blush. The awkward moment was interrupted when the younger sister pointed with a finger to the sky.

"Nee-san. Look. Aren't we near enough to take flight?" And indeed from the aloft clouds emerged the silhouettes of numerous floating islands casting their shadows on the three. Even more higher in the sky the Sun shined with a warm glow. What they didn't know (and in the case of the two Harpies never bother to investigate) was that the temperature is always warm in Synapse and it never rain or snow. The same field that shielded the floating world from the eyes of humans also kept the inside immersed in an eternal spring despite the change of atmospheric conditions outside and the bitter cold of the great height Synapse is floating.

"You're right." She agreed. "Cass..._Lord _Casshern,-" She hastily added recalling her Master's warnings. "-will you require help with the flight?"

Casshern blinked before chuckling softly. "Lord? Please, I am not such thing. Please simply call me Casshern. And for flying...-" He slightly bent his knees and stretched his arms. As if following an unseen command his wings opened to their maximum length and a helmet formed around his head that covered all but his face, with a golden V-shaped headpiece on his forehead. "-I think my body remembers!"

With a loud _'CRACK!' _of displaced air, he disappeared, leaving an imprint of a feet on the ground. Gasping, the two sisters looked up, mouths dropping when they found Casshern's figure again, hovering many dozens of meters from his former position.

_'W-What acceleration!' _They thought in unison. _'It's close to Delta's!' _"Wait for us!" They shouted taking flight themselves.

* * *

Once regrouped, the Harpies led Casshern toward the more nature-themed upper islands. Even if his face stayed calm, Casshern's eyes were constantly sparkling with an almost childlike curiosity: ancient temples, parks and waterfalls with the water flowing from one island to the lower one, everything was a novel experience which filled his reactor with a strong, indescribable feeling. Unknown to him, that feeling was 'relief'. For what, he couldn't say even if he knew how to call it..

"This is Synapse...so beautiful." He muttered. They were at the edge of a huge garden covering an entire island, filled with flowers of every color and a humongous tree covered with lush green leaves in the middle. He knelt down before a patch filled with azure-colored flowers and gently touched one with his right hand. "It's so full of life."

"The upper islands were projected following a naturalistic and minimalist theme to replicate the early years of life of Synapse, while the lower ones were destined to house the most scientific settings," explained the older sister, as she and her younger sister walked behind him. "They also served as open-air museums for many plant life now extinct on the Surface."

"There were also talks about housing the animal ones, but it was dropped for lack of space." Continued the younger. "So instead they preserved the DNA so that one day it might be possible to bring them back to life."

"For real?" asked the older. "I didn't know."

"Hehe..." Her sister chuckled. "You need to read more, nee-san."

She chopped her on the head. "I don't want to hear it from someone who still need help with her own maintenance!"

Casshern blinked, unsure as to what make out of this bizarre exchange. He stood up and looked down over the border of the island. "The Surface? You mean Earth? I noticed when flying that I couldn't see it no matter where we go."

"You can't. The same energy field which shield Synapse from the Dow..._humans_-" The older hastily corrected herself. "-also shield the vision of the planet from here. You need to pass through a portal to see it."

"I see. Thanks...ah." He looked embarrassed. "Forgive me, I was so eager to see Synapse I never thought of asking your names."

"Our names? We are the Harpy sisters!" They declared with pride. "First Generation Interceptor Type, Ambush Class: Type-Gamma, the most loyal guards of Master Reikoku!"

"I am the older one!" The Harpy with light blonde hair declared, eyes closed and an hand over her chest.

"And I am the younger one!" The Harpy with green hair continued, making a pose like a human idol.

Casshern blinked. He blinked again. "Ah, I see...but that is your classifications. How do you call yourself to distinguish from each other?" Now that he looked closer Casshern can see each sister had identical features and honey-colored eyes.

They both opened their mouths to answer. Then suddenly shut it. Opened, and again shut. They appeared bewildered. "W-We don't." The older hesitating said. "There was never any need. I mean, we are always together and we act together. We were always the Harpies."

"Yes, but nee-san: all the other First Generation Angeloids have names. Even some of the Medical Specialist Angeloids do! Why not us?" Interjected the younger. It was a simple question, but it was enough to threaten their worldview.

Not completely understanding but seeing how the two sisters were distressed. He racked his brain thinking for a solution until he was struck by an inspiration. "What if...I give it to you myself?"

"Huh?" They both asked.

"If you don't have names, will it be alright to choose one for you myself?" He repeated. "That's, if you don't want to choose one yourself."

"Uh..." They were dumbfounded, not really knowing how to respond. "I guess it is...alright?" The older sister said. The younger nodded.

"Alright. Now, even if I don't have many memories I should be able to..." Casshern crossed his arms over his chest and began thinking. _'They called themselves Harpy sisters. Harpy...harpies...' _Suddenly from the depths of his data banks emerged a couple of names, brought back by terms association. "Aello...and Celaeno." He spoke slowly. "Yes. Aello for you-" He pointed to the older sister. "-and Celaeno for you." He shifted to the younger.

"Aello..." The older repeated, testing how it sounded.

"Celaeno..." The younger did the same, a soft smile slowly forming on her lips.

"That's right. I was thinking about 'Harpy' and suddenly those names came to me. Do you like them?"

"T-they're...nice." The older looked away, a blush spreading on her cheeks.

"Aello! Celaeno! Yay! Now we sound like important people!" The younger cheerful exclaimed. "Don't you think so, Aello nee-san?" She blinked before smiling again. "Wow! It sound so much better when I add a name. Your name. Oh! Aello-neesan, try saying mine! Say mine, please?"

"Urgh..." She looked embarrassed, but nonetheless complied. "Uhm, like: 'How are you doing, Celaeno?', or something like that?"

"Why, I'm doing fine. Thank you Aello-neesan!" Celaeno literally _beamed_. "And thank to you too, Casshern! This is the best present someone had ever give to us!"

"Uh...yeah, thanks." Aello reluctantly repeated.

"Don't mention it, it was only fair after you did so much for me. Say..." He looked left and right. "Until now we haven't met anybody. Shouldn't Synapse be full of Angels and Angeloids? Where is everyone?"

Hearing the question both sisters stiffened. They nervously looked each other in the eyes before Aello nodded and turned to Casshern. "That...is a bit complicated..."

* * *

Later we found the three on another island walking on the paved road of a, by Earth standards, rural town with wooden houses, back gardens and even tree houses. Walking around cleaning and taking care of the plants were numerous Angeloids, all identical in appearance: teenage girls wearing nurse outfits with blue-purplish hair and green eyes. All their faces were blank and didn't reacted in the slight at the group's presence.

"They are Medical Specialist-class Angeloids." Aello replied at Casshern's questioning look. "They have the duty of taking care of all the installations. With low emotional functions and no speaking ability they are more close to a 'robot' that an Angeloid."

"I see..." He appeared a bit troubled but didn't say anything. Instead he changed subject. "What do you want to show me?"

"That." Following Celaeno's stretching finger Casshern could see a more futuristic building, a dome with a bell at the top.

After entering Casshern was greeted with a very astounding sight: inside the artificially enlarged room laid hundreds of capsules, each containing a sleeping Angel.

"This..." Aello hesitated, but continued. "This is by now a common sight on Synapse: all the Angels spend every hour of their time inside the "Dream Avatar System". It lets them create human-shaped bodies on Earth and live life as a human. Once an avatar dies, the dreamer is simply shifted to a new one without need of waking up. They don't even require food. It has been like that...for a long time."

"Why?" Casshern asked touching a pod, likely expecting the one inside, a young boy, to wake up and speak to him. "I can understand wanting to live a different life, but with such a splendid nation why is no-one out enjoying it. Wait, what about Master? He is awake."

"Like us Angeloids, who are immortal as long as we can be repaired, medically science made possible for Angels to never age or become sick. I think...they had become so bored after living for so long that they prefer dreaming and for some time forgetting their real life," Celaeno replied.

"Us Angeloids don't dream and never have a problem with the passage of time, so I can't say I fully understand," Aello continued. "Master Reikoku, as the Sky Master, is duty-bound to be always awake and manage Synapse. Even if he, I can assure you, wishes with all his heart to sleep himself."

Casshern fell into silence for a long time, slowly going from one capsule to another.

"I don't understand," he said at the end, face furrowed in concentration. "I mean, I understand they have to have a reason to sleep for so long, but I can't imagine it. Synapse is such a beautiful place, but almost no one relishes it." He turned to the sisters. "Maybe...the Surface is much better than Synapse? And if it is, what stops them from going there awake?"

"Uhm, the truth is..!" Before they could continue the voice of the Sky Master resonated from their communication channels.

_"Casshern. Harpies. Return at once."_

"Master is calling. I think it's better if you ask those questions directly to him." Inwardly Aello was glad to have avoided a minefield. Now the Master will answer in her stead.

Casshern nodded and together they made their way back to the Sky Master Temple, leaving behind the sleeping forms of Synapse's masters.

Sleeping, and dreaming.


	3. Question

**Sorry it's not a new chapter. Yet. I promise you will see it soon.**

**Onto business: on the new chapter of "Sora no Otoshimono" the official name of the Sky Master was finally revealed.**

**It's "Minos".**

**Up until now I used "Reikoku" (name took from the wiki), but now that I have the official one should I change it or keep the old one?**

**I put a poll on my profile about it. Please vote and tell me what you think.**


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